


If I Tell You, Then It Won't Come True

by orphan_account



Category: Free!
Genre: Childhood, Fluff, M/M, Teenagers, attempt to make up for ES episode 6, because i cannot stand sad makoto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-08
Updated: 2014-08-08
Packaged: 2018-02-12 09:07:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2103792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Haruka's fourth birthday, his parents throw a party and invite their new neighbors, the Tachibanas.<br/>--<br/>The story of how Haru and Makoto met, and the secret birthday wishes that sealed their friendship. After all, "If I tell you, then it won't come true!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	If I Tell You, Then It Won't Come True

**Author's Note:**

  * For [loserfacesswimception](https://archiveofourown.org/users/loserfacesswimception/gifts).



> For the lovely, darling, ever patient [loserfacesswimception](http://loserfacesswimception.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> Also, this is unedited/unbetaed, so sorry for mistakes.

Balloons, streamers, and tiny party hats all bedecked with dolphins covered the Nanase Home. Their only son was turning four and his daycare teacher thought it would be a good idea for him to have a party with all the other children from the daycare. Something about it being easier to make friends in a place Haruka felt more comfortable was mentioned several times. And as a generally antisocial child, his parents jumped at any chance to try and get their son out of his shell. 

So now their house was filled with tiny children, practically slobbering over one another and— _did one child really just snap the elastic band of another’s party hat?_

Shrieks and now cries filled the air of their normally quiet home. Haru sat by himself on the couch, holding his dolphin party hat instead of wearing it, and staring at the chaos before him. The tiny furrow in his brow made his childish face look too old until the doorbell rang. Everyone was here that Haru recognized from his daycare so who else was coming? He really hoped that Grandma Nanase would be able to come, but she lived far away and he didn’t get to see her a lot.

To his disappointment, another mom and dad were ushered in by his mother, a small boy attached to his own father’s leg. Clearly not grandma.

Haruka’s mother brought the little family over to him, the other mother all smiles as she leaned down to pry her son from his father’s leg.

“Come here Mako-chan, there’s a nice friend here for you to say hello to.” The persistent and gentle cooing managed to release two tiny hands from their grip, and soon Haru found himself staring into bright green eyes. His own mom pressed a hand to his shoulder and pushed Haru forward towards the other boy.

“What do we say when we meet new friends Haruka?”

An eye roll that was far too mature for a four-year old and a huff of air preceded his response.

“Hewwo, my name is Ha-uka and I like do-phins.” The other mother giggled quietly at the childish pronunciations and pulled her son closer to Haru. Slowly, shy verdant eyes crinkled into a smile and little lips spread wide to reveal a missing front tooth.

“I’m Makoto, Hawu-chan! And I like kitties!”

Haru’s eyes widened, his eyes furrowing in consternation at the gap in the boy’s mouth.

“Where’s your  _toof_?” Both mothers twittered conspiratorially; Haruka’s mother was enthused to see her son taking an interest in anyone else, while Makoto’s mother hoped that Makoto would have a friend so close to where they lived. Makoto grinned, sticking a tongue as far as he could between the gap.

“I was pwaying with my mommy in, in the sprinklers, and I wanted to pwa-play tag, but mommy said ‘ _no_ ,’ but I ran anyways to get her, and, and then I  _fell_.” Though his speech was rushed in his excitement, Makoto suddenly paused and took a large breath. “And I hit a biiiiig rock, and it  _broke_  my  _toof_.”

By the time he finished, Haru was sitting on the edge of the couch, his party hat nearly crushed in his childish hands.

“Did it  _hurt_?” Wide azure eyes shimmered like reflecting pools against the midday sun. The suddenly timid nod was mirrored clearly in them as Makoto gave his assent.

“A whole lot. But, after mommy took me to the doctor, I got a blue ice pop! And daddy didn’t even make me share it!”

The moment was broken as Haru’s parents called for birthday cake, signaling the exodus of greedy hands for precious sweets. Haru stalled on the couch, looking uncertainly towards the large group of people crowding around his kitchen table. Behind them, his parents beckoned with inviting smiles. But to get to those smiles, to blow out the four dolphin candles that he’d got to choose specifically for this… There were all those  _other_  children. The loud ones, the sticky ones, the ones that spilled the water out of his kiddy pool before he’d even had a chance to jump in… No way.

A tiny hand tugged gently on the hat in his hands, breaking his increasingly frustrating line of concentration. Haru looked down and saw Makoto still standing next to him, toothy smile and bright green eyes waiting.

Waiting for Haru. Waiting for the person who this day was actually supposed to be about. Not the cake, not the presents, not the forced friendships the big people wanted him to make. Makoto was standing there, waiting for Haru.

Hopping down off the couch, Haru handed Makoto his slightly crumpled party hat. “You didn’t get one,” Haru stated, watching as Makoto’s eyes did that shiny thing he sometimes saw when mom watched television.

“It’s time to blow out your candles, Haruka!” The slight impatience bled through his father’s voice, and Haru knew he couldn’t wait any longer. But the excited  _snap_  of an elastic band forced Haru to look at Makoto one more time.

“What,” an eager childish sniffle punctuated the thought, “what are you gonna wish for, Hawu-chan?”

Haru didn’t answer as they started walking towards the kitchen table. That would spoil it.

\--

“Happy Birthday, Mako-chan!”

“Happy birthday Onii-chan!!”

“Happy birthday, Makoto-senpai!”

Enthusiastic cheering followed the now eighteen year old blowing out his candles.

“Nii-chan, nii-chan, what did you wish for?” Ren and Ran crowded next to him, their rapidly growing frames pressing him more tightly than Makoto liked to admit.

But Makoto smiled, looking down mischievously at his siblings. “Now, you  _know_  I can’t tell you, otherwise it won’t come true!”

The disappointed whining of two children was interrupted by the soft laughter coming from their parents. Normally this would have gone unnoticed, if not for the whispering that accompanied it.

“ _Moooooom_ ,” Ran whined, throwing her body over her mother’s lap, “what is so funny? Onii-chan is keeping  _secrets_  from us!”

Makoto’s mother hummed, running her fingers through Ran’s hair. “It’s not that he’s keeping secrets, Ran, it’s that it just reminded your father and I of when Makoto first met Haru.” Ran perked up, and Ren quickly abandoned Makoto’s side to try and nudge Ran off of their mother’s lap.

“What? How momma??” Even Rin, Rei, and Nagisa turned to listen as Makoto’s parents shared a look that could only be described as  _conspiratorial_. Makoto’s father pulled off his glasses with a smug smile and wiped them on the hem of his shirt as he spoke.

“Well, Makoto and Haruka first met at Haru’s birthday party. We’d just moved into the neighborhood and the Nanase’s had been kind enough to invite us, so that our children could meet. It had been a lovely afternoon, and Mako and Haru seemed to get along very well, so it surprised Mom and I when we left and Makoto looked  _so_  upset. At first, we assumed that he was sad to have to leave his new friend so soon, but, as we learned, that was not the case.”

Nagisa bounced on his heels, nearly hitting Rei in the face as his excitement increased.

“What happened? Why was Mako-chan so upset??”

Makoto’s mother gently pressed her head to her husband’s shoulder for a moment, her cheeks rounded with a smile.

“Haruka wouldn’t tell him what he wished for after he blew out his birthday candles. And he pouted for  _weeks_ , begging to see Haru every day.” 

Ren and Ran laughed raucously, far more amused at Makoto’s suddenly red face than their parent’s story. Nagisa joined them, draping himself over Rei’s shoulders and wiping tears from his eyes.

“Ha, ha, yes, very funny, but can I say I was only  _three_? What three year old wouldn’t be disappointed by that,” Makoto huffed, silently willing his reddened face to cool.

“Yes, yes, of course any three year old would, dear,” his mother giggled, getting up to help him cut the cake. “But after all, that’s when you started making such a big deal about your own birthday wishes.”

The promise of cake soon distracted Ren, Ran, and Nagisa, and soon the conversation drifted to other topics (like how much cake Nagisa could eat in one bite, or how many shark puns the twins could come up with in the span of five minutes, or how much Makoto’s own mother could mother Haru about his diet as Haru munched passively on some grilled mackerel that he’d somehow snuck in).

But before long, the cake was gone, the twins were asleep on the couch, and soon even Rin, Rei, and Nagisa had to leave in order to catch the last train of the night.

As Makoto and Haru started gathering dishes and a few stray streamers (Nagisa had most of them wrapped around himself before he left), Makoto’s parents quickly started taking it from them.

“It is your  _birthday_ , Mako-chan, so you put down those dishes and pick up your sister, and after you’ve put the twins in bed,  _relax_.” There were few things that Makoto’s mother was stringent upon, but not cleaning up on your own birthday was one of them. “It’s not every day my baby turns eighteen,” she added, looking fondly at her two boys as Makoto and Haru carefully picked up the twins.

Yes,  _her_  boys. She had seen the way Makoto had smiled at his best friend, and it reminded her much too much of the way her husband had looked at her when they first started dating. And while she knew that their friendship hadn’t progressed beyond that (if it ever would—Haruka was almost willfully oblivious of anything romantic), she would always consider Haru family. He was one of her boys, too.

//

“Thanks for helping me get the twins in bed, Haru-chan,” Makoto sighed happily and flopped on his bed, ever grateful for his best friend.

Haru hummed in response, the gravelly quality marking both his acknowledgement of Makoto’s appreciation, as well as his own annoyance at the childish honorific. He’d grown tired of calling Makoto out on it though—Makoto would continue to call him “Haru-chan” no matter how often he told him not to.

Turning on his side and watching as Haru settled onto the futon next to the bed, a small bubble of laughter tickled through Makoto’s throat.

“I know, I know, Haru. ‘We’re not kids, and I’m older than you, anyways,’” Makoto intoned, his face turning serious and his voice low and monotone.

Haru’s head whipped up so quickly that the tickling laughter in Makoto’s throat burst forth, ringing pleasantly at his friend’s reaction.

“…You’re spending too much time with Nagisa,” Haru muttered, reaching up and snagging Makoto’s second pillow (that was  _really_  only there for occasions such as this).

As Makoto’s laughter quieted into contented breaths, he rolled onto his back, folding his arms behind his head and staring at his ceiling. The plain white of his ceiling blurred as he blinked, suddenly sleepy. With a yawn, he pulled himself up and moved to go set his glasses on his desk. Before going back to his bed, he walked to the light switch and turned to look at his passive, dark-haired friend.

“Mind if I turn off the lights already, Haru?”

Instead of setting the pillow under his head, Haru hugged it in his arms and turned on his side, facing away from Makoto. Rolling his eyes playfully, Makoto flicked the lights off and carefully made his way back to his bed—but not before teasingly poking Haru with his foot on the way there. Haru grumbled quietly before retaliating with a sneaky tickle attack to Makoto’s exposed foot.

Nearly tripping over himself and landing on the futon (and Haru), Makoto quickly dove for his bed to escape Haru’s reach. The accompanying loud creak and thump of him hitting the bed had him suddenly laughing uncontrollably, pressing his hands to his mouth in an effort to remain quiet. Haru sat up with an amused huff, watching his friend as his eyes adjusted to the dark.

Once his giggle fit was over with, Makoto sighed heavily, a little, quiet moan of exhausted delight escaping with it. It had definitely been a great birthday so far. However, there was one thing still on his mind…

“Hey, Haru?” The sheets on the futon rustled quietly as the boy in question turned towards Makoto.

“Do you remember what you wished for?”

It was quiet for a moment, and then—

“I can’t tell you.”

Makoto’s eyes squinted at the darkness, vainly trying to make out his friend’s expression.

“Come on Haru, it’s been fourteen years. I think if your wish was going to come true, it would have happened already,” Makoto teased, “unless you just don’t remember, and you don’t want to admit it?” 

“I didn’t forg—look, I can’t tell you Makoto… I,” Haru’s voice softened before he paused. The hesitation in his voice was evident when he finally continued; “…I have to keep making the same wish every year.” 

With the first cold, trembling slivers of guilt slinking into his gut, Makoto’s voice turned light as he responsed. “Every year? Haru-chan, all the water on the earth isn’t going to suddenly dry up, so I don’t think you need to keep wishing for a place to swim.” 

But Haru stayed silent. And Makoto knew better than to try and continue talking right now. This wasn’t an empty silence—this was the quiet that whispered of Haru’s thoughts as he tried to externalize what had been carefully stored away. 

“I’m not going to leave,” the low, solid rumbling of Haru’s certainty warmed the chilling, barely-there guilt and suddenly sent Makoto’s pulse racing. But he still couldn’t say anything, not until Haru was fully done.

“I know everything thinks that I should follow Rin and try to go pro, but… I can’t. I can’t swim that way. And,” Makoto sat up quickly, staring at Haru as his voice suddenly broke. “I need you.” 

“You want to know what I wished for, Makoto? What I wanted every year since the day I met you? I wished that I could always have a friend like Makoto. But, then I started wishing for  _only_  Makoto. And I didn’t know why it was so important to me that it had to be you. But I won’t go, Makoto, not even if you want me to!” 

Haru was startled as Makoto quickly grabbed his arm, strong fingers trailing down until they reached his hand. As Makoto’s fingers curled around Haru’s, he felt the tension seep out of his body. 

“I would never ask you to leave, Haru,” Makoto murmured, moving closer until he was leaning over the bed and pressing his forehead to Haru’s. “Especially not when I wished for the same thing.”

Slowly, Makoto’s thumb began tracing over Haru’s knuckles, the soothing action complementing the quiet humming that ghosted over his hair.

“You don’t need to keep wishing,” Haru breathed, his voice warm and sleepy against Makoto’s cheeks. “I’ll… I will stay with you for as long as you want me.”

Makoto smiled and released his hold on Haru in order to climb down from his bed. Wrapping his arms around the smaller male, Makoto leaned his head on Haru’s shoulder.

“I might just keep you forever, Haru-chan.”

With one hand tangled in his sandy brown hair and the other splayed across Makoto’s broad back, Haru smiled in response. 

“Just don’t call me Haru-chan.”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. So I know that ending was suuuuper trite, and that line is 10bajillion times overused, but somehow.  
> I just felt like it fit?  
> So it happened.
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading!! If you liked it, or have some criticism, leave a comment, or come talk to me on my tumblr: /atrishasymphony.tumblr.com/


End file.
